Key’s threat to veto premature

John Key’s threat that he might use a financial veto against the Bill that will introduce 26 weeks Paid Parental Leave is premature and based on inflated costings, says the bill’s sponsor, Labour ‘s Sue Moroney.

“The Government keeps saying my bill will cost $140 million a year, but agreed costings among all the parties on the select committee last year showed that each tranche of four weeks costs around $46 million more to implement.

“That means that the Bill in its current form, would cost around $100 million a year extra when it’s fully implemented in 2018.The Government has exaggerated the cost of my bill by 40 per cent.

“While the Prime Minister talks about any decision on a veto being “way down the track”, it’s clear that parents would be getting this support now if the Government had not played politics.

" If the Government does agree to extend 26 weeks PPL to multiple births, premature babies and special needs babies, then the cost of my Bill reduces again.

“Given that this Government is prepared to spend $ 26 million on a flag referendum, it is sad that it doesn’t believe our children are important enough,” says Sue Moroney.